LET US BELIEVE UNTIL THE END! by Aziz
They say it isn’t over until the fat lady sings… and the Arsenal team and fans should take that old mantra to the last game of the season on 19 May 2024 against Everton at the Emirates whist maintaining their winning streak in between.
For all Gooners out there, this season is “special”. Special in the sense that two teams, either Arsenal or Manchester City, can clinch the 2023/24 EPL crown. I am “sorry” for Liverpool and their fans, you’re out of the race after bottling it at this finishing line and important stage of the season despite claim from one of their players boasting about their mentality to do better when it matters!
In more staggering statistics, Arsenal can win all its remaining games, and yet we can finish second with 97 points behind the “mighty” Manchester City at 99 points in a 2-point difference! How crazy it is going to be!
Although this campaign is incredibly intriguing and different from past seasons, the eventual champion may not be revealed until the season’s closing day.
Arsenal’s yesterday win against the “noisy neighbours” Spurs was the pinnacle in galvanizing any hope of achieving something special this season after a 20-year wait despite a nerve-racking ending to the game in the 3-2 win. Credit to the team this season compared to the previous few seasons, they have shown the nerves of steel to overcome a stubborn opposition in a derby game. A very palatable victory and the north London continues to be RED!
We should also remember, that Manchester City has to go to the Spurs’ own turf on 14 May after their 3-3 encounter at the Etihad back in December 2023, a game that they (Spurs) played so well and deserved to win. As the biggest “bottlers” in the city and the entire league as they are, they couldn’t win it! Let’s hope they will get it better this time around at their home ground. Am I a dreamer here?!
As insanely as it sounds, we hope Spurs can reluctantly do us an “unlikely favour” and get something out of this game as they chase for a top-four finish with Aston Villa for a Champions League place.
The game against Chelsea was a must-win, and the boys emphatically delivered: The 5-0 against a £1billion team sounds handsome and added an important goal difference over Manchester City.
The 2-0 victory for Arsenal at the Molineux Stadium was far from easy, despite what some may assume. It’s a challenging and unpredictable venue to face off against Wolves at their home patch. Securing this win was just as significant as any other win at this critical stage of the season, and it has allowed us to stay in the running for the championship.
For the record, the Wolves beat Manchester City 2-1 at the Molineux on 30 September 2023. [(For your information Manchester City lost only 3 games so far, against Arsenal (1-0), Aston Villa (1-0), and Wolves (2-1))].
Maybe, just maybe, we pin our hope on them (Wolves) to do us a big favour against Manchester City at the Etihad. We know this is a big ask and task for them, but anything is possible in football! Come on, Wolves, you can do it!
I know how disappointed we were when we couldn’t beat Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on 14 April 2024. We lost 2-0. The outcome of this has caused a split among Arsenal fans regarding their expectations for this season, especially considering the remarkable results seen since the beginning of 2024 following the Dubai camp. Both the “die-hard” and “armchair” fans had their opinions about the team.
Some opinions were reasonable, but some were harsh and overboard. I can continue to emphasize that many fans have conceded defeat and raised the white flag, evoking memories of the disappointment from last season when everything crumbled!
Who knows that these 3 points Villa had taken from us would make Spurs fight even harder vs. City in their way to get top four against the same Villa! Life can be crazy, sometimes!
Before going to the Spurs’ backyard on 14 May 2024, Manchester City will need to overcome unpredictable Fulham on 11 May, 3 days before the Spurs game! In these two games, I can envisage something good for this Arsenal team!… MIND THE GAP! and keep our fingers crossed!
Whatever happens after the Manchester City vs. Fulham and vs. Spurs games, if Arsenal doesn’t do its bit on the remainder games, it’s going to be bonkers! That is why we should keep believing until the end, by winning our games whilst waiting for “something special” (albeit in a negative!) to happen to Manchester City in their remaining fixtures!
COYG!
Aziz Senzia
A Gooner Fan in Tanzania